The best season in Cross High School boys basketball history ended on the first of what it had anticipated were two journeys to the Florence Center this winter.

No. 3 Bethune-Bowman edged the No. 6 Trojans in a dogfight, 53-43, in the Class A Lower State championship game Monday, Feb. 26. The Mohawks outscored the Trojans, 16-6, in the last quarter to pull away.

Cross, which had won its previous three playoff games by a total of 11 points, ended its season with a 22-6 record.

Bethune-Bowman moved to 18-6 and returns to the Florence Center Saturday, March 2, to tangle with Upper State champion Christ Church for the state title.

“This leaves a sour taste in our mouth because it was right there for the taking,” Cross coach Chaquain Boone said. “Obviously, this one stings, but it should be a lot of motivation for next year.”

Cross’ Caden Ramsey led the Trojans with 17 points, while Jamez Way and Micah Flute added seven points.

The Trojans got off to a rocky start on the big stage, falling behind 10-0 and 21-7 in the first half. However, they did not quit and fought behind Ramsey to go up 37-34 in the closing seconds of the third quarter.

Bethune-Bowman tied it on a 3-point play going into the fourth quarter and finished strong as it started. The Trojans struggled to execute with the game on the line.

“We gave up too many points on turnovers,” Boone said. “Hard to win games like that. That was one of our keys to win.”

Terrance McFadden paced Bethune-Bowman with 14 points, while Bryson Robinson and Jalen Avinger chipped in 11 and 10, respectively.

In the regular season, the Trojans finished as co-Region 8-A champions with Burke High School, their first time atop a region in basketball since the 1990s.

The season was the last for six Cross seniors: Way, guard Dominick Lampkin, guard D’Andre Bartelle, guard Cobey Coleman, forward Tyshawn Gavins and forward Jayden Middleton.

Ramsey, a sophomore, led the Trojans in scoring at 17.7 points per game. Way and Lampkin added 15 and 10 points a contest. Junior guard Preston Fuller and junior forward Micah Flute chipped in eight and five points a contest, respectively.

Ramsey was the leading rebounder with more than 10 a game, while Way led in steals and assists. Flute was second in rebounds.

Heathwood Hall 58

Northwood girls 56

Northwood’s girls basketball team finished the season Friday, Feb. 23, with a tough 58-56 loss to Heathwood Hall in the SCISA Class 4A title game.

The Chargers completed the 2023-24 season as the SCISA Region 3-4A champions and tallied 26 victories.

Senior Alayah Birch guided the Chargers in the championship game with 21 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and five steals. Her younger sister, freshman Maliyah Birch, added 12 points and four assists. Senior Morgan Jones chipped in eight points.